The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1887-02-18
such a degree as to render them unable to earn

dition. If It had been intended TO embrace only
those who by disease or injury were
TOTALLY UNABLE TO LABOR,
1t would have boen very easy to express that
instead of recognizny. as is done, degree" OF
determine whether q man earns it or has 1t or
has it not? Is the government to enter the
home of claimants for pension and, after an eS-
animation of their surroundings aud c;Tcun-
stances, settle these questions? Shall the gov
eminent say to man that his manner OF
subsistence by his earnings is support and to
another that the things his earnings furnish are
u snpportp Any attempt, however honest, to
administer this would necessarily produce moro
unfairacss and unjust discrimination and give
more scope for partisan lartiaiity, and would
result in more perversion of the govern
mcnt's benevolent intentions, than the
execution OF any statute ought to permit. II, In
the effort to carry cut the proposed law the de-
gree of disability as related to earnings bc con-
sidcred for the purpose of discovering If in anv
way 1t curtais the support which the applicant
II entirely sound would earn and to which he il
entitled, we enter the broad field long occupied
by the pension bureau and we recosnizs as the
and previous laws passed for the benefit of the
surviving soldiers of the civil war the incur
renee in one case of disability in military SER
vice, and in the other disabilities existing but in
no way connected with or resulting from such
service. 1t must be borne in mind that in no
sion. Under the operation Of the rule first suv-
gestcd. II there, IL lack, In any degree,
great or small, of the ability, to earn
such support as the government determines
| the claimant should have. and by the applica-
tion of The rule secondly suggested II there is
reduction in any degree of the support which he
might earn II sound, he is entitled to pension
OF 81 per month. In the latter case. and under
the provso OF the proposed bill permitting per-
sous now receiving pensions to be admitted to
the benefits OF the act, do not see how those
now on the pension rolls for disabilities incurred
| in the service. and which diminish the earning
capacity can be denied the pension provided in
| this bill. or course none will apply who now
receiving Sl2 or more per month; but on June
80. 1856. there were on the pension rolls 202.-
tkII ~ ware Ivin iubt
| ferent rates of pension ranging from ST to
| $ll.7o per month. OF those 2s.142 were re-
cciying So per month; G3,ll6, 81 per month;
37,254, Sc per month; and 5o274, whose dsa-
bilittes were rated as total. So per month.
EVEN ITS ADVOCATES DIFFERED.
AS to tho meaning OF the section OF the bill
| under consideration, there appears to have been
n difference OF opinion among its advocates in
congress. The chairman OF the committee on
| pensions in the house of representatives, who re-
ported the bill, declared that there was in it no
| provision for ptnsioninv any one who has less
disa9i,y than total disability r 70 labor: and
| the committee on pensions i'll the senate. having
charge Of the bill in that body, dissented from
| the construction of the bill announced in the
house OF representatives and declared that IL not
| only embraced all soldiers totally disabled. but
| in his judgment all VINO are disabled To any con-
| siderable extent: and such u construction was
substantially given to the bill by another dis
| tingntshed senator who, as former secretary of
| the interior, had imposed upon him the duty of
| executing the pension laws and determining
| their intent and meaning. Another condition
required of claimants under this act is that they
| shall be dependent upon their dnily labor for
| support This language, which may be said to
| assume that there exists within the reach
Of the persons mentioned slaborr or the
used iu a statute describing those not wholly
deprived of tnis ability than In one which deals
with those utterly unable to work. am of The
opinion that it may fairly be oontended that
under the provisions Of this section any soldier
whose faculties of mind or body have become
impaired by accident. disease or age, irrespective
- 10 and l,n
by his labor only is incapable of gaining the fair
support he might with unimpaired powers have
provided for himself, and who Is 80 well en-
dowed with this worlds goods as to live with
out work may claim to participate In its bounty:
that it is not required that he should be with-
out property, but only that labor should be
necessary to his support in some degree, nor is
it required that he should be now receiving sup
port from others. Believing this to be the
proper Interpretation of the bill, ! cannon but
remember that The soldiers OF our civil war in
their pay and bounty received such oompensa-
tion for military service as has never been re.
went TO war; that never before on behalf of any
soldiers. have SO many and such generous laws
been passed to relieve them against the Incl
dents of war; that statutes have been passed
GIVING THEM A PREFERENCE
iu all public employments: that tho really needy
and homeless Union soldiers of the Rebellion
have been to u large extent provided for at
soldiers homes, instituted and supported by
the eovl-nlrent. where they arc maintained to-
gethe tree from the sense of degradation which
attaches to the usual support Of charity: ana
that never before in the history o! the country
has it been proposed TO render government aid
toward the support of any Of its soldiefs based
slone upon military service 20 fecent, and
where age and circumstances appeared SO little
to demand such aid. Hitherto such reli has been
granted to surviving soldiers, few in number
venerable In age after q long lapse of time since
their military services and as a parting hepe.
faction rendered by a grateful people can
not believe that the vast peaceful army of Union
soldiers who, having contentedlv resumed theii
places nthe ordinary vacations Of life hold sacred
the memory Of patriotic service, or who hav-
inu been disabled by tbs casualties Of war Justly
regard the present pension roll, on which ap.
pear their names as q roll of honor. desire
at the time and i'll the present cxigency to be
confounded with those who. through such bill
as this, are willing to be objects OF simple char.
ity. and to gain place on the pension so
through alleged discrepancies. Recent persona
observation and experience constrain me 10 re.
J fer TO another result which will inevitably fol
low the approval of the bill 1t is sad, but
nevertheless true that already in the matter o
procuring pensions there exists a widespread
disregard of truth and good faith, stimulated b,
plaiMs for pensions, hpedlesaly entered upon l.,
: the eApcotant Beneficiary, and enuonraaed, OF II
least not condemned, by those unwilling to OBJ
this proposed law, under any Interpretation
wide field OF inquiry would be opened TO. the
establishment of fact largely within the kpowl-
, edge of the claimants, and there can be no douh
that tho penhtona offered by this bill would no
, only stimulate weakness ana pretonded inoa
racity fox 'abor, but put further premium OF
dishonesty and ineudacity. The effect of ney
invitations to apply for pensions. or of new ad
, vantages added to causes for pensions alread,
, existing, Is
SOMETIMES STARTLING.
/ Thus, in March, 1879. large arrcarages of pom
sions were allowed to be added to all kinda filet
prior to July l., 1880 For the year from Jul.
, ]. $40. to July l, 1880, there We're filed Ito,
673 claims. though in the year immedlate!,
ssonns s.s Ys.s s III Ws fs a and IL n
not be set against patriotic duty or the recog
; niton Of a right, still, when measure propose,
basea s sp9n 1 generosity m Or motives Of charity
:: expense which it involves. Experience ha
,, demonstrated, believe, that all estimates eon
!, lis. are uncertain and unreliable, and Away
7 fall far below actual realization, The chairman
! OF the hous committee on pensions calculate
, would be 33, 1o2, and the increased annual cos
: $4,767,l2o This is upon the theory tina
only .hose those who WI are entirely unable
penson PEN iV law Of ISIS much aop,sHaai more aisa1
: stated. it seems to ME. than in this. When th
law Of 1918 was upon its passage in congres
:he number OF pensioners TO be benefited there
a by was thought to be 37i, but the number o
/ aEpl!ca tions under the act was ~ 297. and tn
i number oi pansiona ,actpalis allowed 2Q.4sa
y costing, 1t is reported, for the first year 81,
q sa7,so5 instead of s46ooo the estimated ex
2 psnso for that period: law was passed /,
> > s59 for the bpneht OF tho surviving widows o
t Revolutionary soldiers who were married ate
i Jan. l. 1900. 1t was estimated that they mum
L
y but the number OF pensions allowed was 3.74
q and the amount paid for such pensions durin
n the first year OF the operation OF the act wa
$lso.o0O instead OF $24, 900. as had been esti
mated. have made no search for other Illus
r trations. and the above being at ran
+ are given us tending to g.ipV tuat Ast1
4 l.ales cAnaot pe relied upon Id such case,
d II none should te pcEsiausd under this bilt, ex
!. cept those utterly unable to work. am salts
fed that the cost stated In the estimate re,erre
i to would be many times multiplied, md with
n constant increase from year to year; and
il those partially pnable Ia earn tlvi. suppo,
" should be admitted to the privileges Of this bill
/ the probable increase of expenses would be a
L most appalling. think 1t may be said that q
/ the close OF the Rebellion every Northern stat
"a aud great majority of Northern counties an
"a cities, were burdened with taxation owing to til
10 large DountieS paid our soldiers: and the boude
a Eest thereby created still constitutes lara
Item in the account OF the tax gatherer agains
n the people. Federal taxation, no less borne
= the people than that levied directly upon the
|. property, is still maintained at the rate mad
Il pegessary by asigenciea Of war, II this b,
i should beooiae i law, with its tremendous
u ADDITION TO OUR PREVIOUS OBLIGATION,
Is I am thoroughly convinced that further effor
IL to reduce the federal revenue and restore SON
le part OF 1t to our people would. aud perhaI
n should be seriously Questioned 1t has cor